Cincinnati’s Newest Ice Cream Shop Gets You Buzzed

It’s been over a month since Buzzed Bull first opened its doors to the public, but every weekend still feels likes opening weekend at this spot. The average weekend evening features a line that’s at least to the door and possibly even out and down the street. But why? Surely the heavy hitters like Graeter’s and UDF had Cincinnati’s ice cream game on lock, right? Well, that may have been true before this spot decided to take your favorite summer treat and spike it with whatever your heart desires. Yes, it’s time to combine two of your favorite things: ice cream and alcohol.

Decisions, Decisions…

With over 25 flavors and thousands of mix-in and alcohol combo possibilities, you could come to Buzzed Bull hundreds of times and never have the same experience, and the owners are trying to capitalize on that fact. They don’t just push you into the deep end, though. They want you to have options; especially if you’re a picky drinker. That’s exactly why they decided to make flights of buzzed ice cream: to let you sample four 3-oz. servings of unique combinations. Not only that, but they try to make them as seasonal as possible and they’re rotated on a monthly basis so that every experience can be one that is both unique and refreshing.

A Labor of Love

If you’re like us, you’re always wondering “okay, so which rich person has their hand in this OTR business,” but we were so, so pleasantly surprised to find out that Buzzed Bull was far from “just another investment.” In fact, the seven co-owners come from all walks of life and backgrounds. The story of this delicious, alcohol-loaded ice cream started in a home kitchen in Tampa Bay, Florida before it made its way to Cincinnati. From there, the owners found a privately-owned space in OTR and got straight to work. The vibe is surprisingly quaint given the hustle of Main Street, and we’re all about the exposed brick that adds to the ambiance of the atmosphere. Considering that they built all of this from the ground up, color us impressed.

The Not-So-Scientific Method

Of course, as soon as we heard the words “made to order alcoholic ice cream,” we only had one thought…

It turns out that they actually don’t have any chemical engineers, culinary masters, nor scientists on the team at all. It’s literally just a special process they’ve created involving flash freezing with nitrogen, a neutral base, lots of flavor options, and alcohol, of course. We’re still going to go with the theory that they leave every night on broomsticks. It’s the only thing that makes sense given how delicious, yet loaded, these masterful concoctions are. Be careful if you go with the two shot option, though, because these are subtly strong and you most likely don’t have a broomstick to take home. Accio Uber, anyone?

So, here’s how you’re going to do this…

It’s Friday or Saturday night and you’re out with your friends. You’re either dancing the night away at Mr. Pitiful’s or jamming out to one of our favorite local bands at MOTR and you look over at your friends and say “man, it’s hot in here.” Your friends look back at you, sweat glistens on their brows, but you know what to do. You lead a conga line out the door. The Macarena plays in the background. Okay, fine, you don’t have to be in a conga line, but talk about an exit…

See, you’re smart and keep up with CityNova. You know everyone wants to keep drinking, but they also need to cool off for a bit. Luckily for you, there’s ice cream less than 200 feet away, and it’s spiked. You let your friends know the plan. They start considering where to erect a statue dedicated to your eternal wisdom. No time for that, though. There’s alcoholic ice cream to be had! When you finally arrive at the counter, you order what CityNova is about to recommend: The Hard Apple Pie (vanilla, graham crackers, caramel, and spiked apple pie moonshine). You’re going to get it medium with two shots. You’re going to be like every other basic person in the place and Instagram a picture of the ice cream. We don’t judge. Just make sure to use that #citynova when you do! Finally, you take a bite and find yourself in buzzed bliss. “This is too good to be true,” you think to yourself. It is. But we’re lucky enough to have it. Enjoy.

***

Have any other unique combinations you want to let the world know about? Share your personal favorite buzzed mixes below!

Matt Teaford is a meatatarian, craft beer enthusiast, and follower of his spirit animal, which he believes to be a Kodiak Bear. He can often be found hiking in the backwoods of Kentucky or bragging about both his hometown of Cincinnati and expansive knowledge of music. Except Polka. He knows nothing about Polka.

Matt founded CityNova because he wants people to experience life for all that it’s worth. He also thinks that nap time should be offered by all employers. Since he found no such opportunity, he thought a startup might be his best chance.

He’s also a political Independent who vies for true transparency and accountability in government, but that’s neither here nor there…